1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an apparatus for servicing an automobile, and, in particular, to an automobile servicing apparatus having a turntable provided with a retractable lift for lifting an automobile to be serviced to a desired height up in the air.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of apparatuses for servicing automobiles are known. Such automobile servicing apparatuses are installed, for example, at gas stations or automobile service stations for servicing automobiles, such as replacement of tires and inspection and adjustment of the steering system. In servicing automobiles, it is normally required to lift the automobile to be serviced up in the air to a desired height particularly when it is desired to check up the underside thereof, for example, for inspecting the steering system.
The present inventor invented an automobile servicing apparatus having a turntable which is provided with a gate-type lift and filed a patent application in the U.S.A. which has now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,186 on Mar. 22, 1988. The automobile servicing apparatus disclosed and claimed in that patent is advantageous in many respects over the prior art; however, it was designed to a turntable provided with a gate-type lift. Since the lift is provided as attached to the turntable, an automobile to be serviced may be lifted up in the air as desired and the full inspection and required operation may be carried out to the underside structure of the automobile. However, since the gate-type lift structure is rigidly attached to the turntable and it projects upward from the top surface of the turntable at its center, it also constitutes an obstruction to the mechanics. Moreover, since the gate-type lift structure defines the direction in which an automobile to be serviced can move on the turntable, there is a constraint in the direction of movement of an automobile on the turntable.